GYPSY Previews- Page 21

[OffOnBwayHi]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 1:24pm

seeseveryshow2 said: "Front row center should be fine. I sat in second row center. Fantastic to be so close and it’s a terrific show.


The stage is not high as it is elsewhere. You should have no trouble unless you are really short.

Go for it."

Awesome. Thanks for the reply!

[binau]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 4:48pm

The way Audra is so manically excited in the line readings "ooohhh Herbie you're right, you're right Herbie this is for the best.." onwards is so chillingly done. It really is amazing to have a first class actress in this role. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 12/8/24 at 5:15pm

binau said: "The way Audra is so manically excited in the line readings "ooohhh Herbie you're right, you're right Herbie this is for the best.." onwards is so chillingly done. It really is amazing to have a first class actress in this role."

Her line readings--her creation of a character that we can actually recognize... its masterful. Audra's Rose is a stage mom we recognize from reality tv, but with a desperation appropriate for the depression, and then a descent into madness when shes spurned by her daughter (in act 1, and then again more completely in act 2). i cant believe people have overlooked the skill/craft because her voice sounds like it sounds.

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 12:32am

I’ve read a lot about how George C. Wolfe utilizes the preview period. We are creeping up on 3 weeks of previews. Can anyone say what exactly has been worked out this far? We know they haven’t really cut the run time down since the show/overture starts at about :02 minutes after the hour…so I guess I’m wondering how has GCW used the preview period so far…

[Dolly80]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 9:29am

Damn this was bad. 
The ugliest set I’ve ever seen on Broadway.

A lead who cant sing the score.

Everything about this revival is misjudged. I really hope they don’t get away with it when reviews come out.

[joevitus]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 10:26am

Dolly80 said: "Damn this was bad.
The ugliest set I’ve ever seen on Broadway.

A lead who cant sing the score.

Everything about this revival is misjudged. I really hope they don’t get away with it when reviews come out."

From her performance of Rose's Turn that we all listened to when the show was first announced, I'd agree she doesn't have the "right" voice for this role, but to say Audra McDonald "can't sing the score" is absurd beyond words. 

[Barihunk]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 3:06pm

"... to say Audra McDonald"can't sing the score" is absurd beyond words."

This!

For those who are finding fault with Ms.McDonald's singing in this production, I just have to ask, "What did you expect her to sound like?". She has a very well-documented 30 year career of singing that chronicles her extraordinary vocal talents. From all of the kvetching on this board you would think she was attempting to sing Norma or Tosca! There is something wrong with a world that can't enjoy an artist at the height of her powers challenging herself artistically and challenging us to hear something new in what we thought we knew. I've only heard a bootleg of her Roses Turn recorded last week, but to my ears, she is not imposing a vocal technique onto this music. She is finding Rose's voice through the lyrics first, notes be damned. It sounded thrilling and terrifying and gorgeous. What it did not sound like was how anybody else had sung it previously. Which was exactly what I was expecting.

I think folks need to spend more time actively practicing the assumption of positive intent. Nobody onstage or backstage at the Majestic is actively trying to yuck your yum with this production. They are all displaying their talent and being vulnerable and giving of themselves because they love what they do, they love this story, and they love connecting with audiences. I wish them nothing but the best in their work this week before freezing the show this weekend!  

[BJR]

Posted: 12/9/24 at 4:16pm

I feel like this has fallen into the territory of the Bernadette revival, with those who find her miscast, in this case because of her vocal type, and those that don't.

And it's going to be a matter of preference on that issue. Either it's disqualifying or it's not.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 12/10/24 at 4:47am

.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/10/24 at 8:44am

BJR said: "I feel like this has fallen into the territory of the Bernadette revival, with those who find her miscast, in this case because of her vocal type, and those that don't.

And it's going to be a matter of preference on that issue. Either it's disqualifying or it's not."

 

There are a lot of people out there — originalists and not — who are never going to love a Rose that’s not in the Merman/LuPone mode of being a bulldozer. Arthur’s book is also burned into the brains of a lot of people as the only “correct” way to do this show. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 12/10/24 at 10:19am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "BJR said: "I feel like this has fallen into the territory of the Bernadette revival, with those who find her miscast, in this case because of her vocal type, and those that don't.

And it's going to be a matter of preference on that issue. Either it's disqualifying or it's not."



There are a lot of people out there — originalists and not — who are never going to love a Rose that’s not in the Merman/LuPone mode of being a bulldozer. Arthur’s book is also burned into the brains of a lot of people as the only “correct” way to do this show."

And as I offer earlier in the thread, its also possible for an actor of enormous talents to give a great and enormously talented performance that is simply wrong for the role and the play.  I bet Kelli O' Hara could give a performance filled with wonderful moments as Elphaba in WICKED, but it would still be wrong casting. And yes, part of that is because composers write the score to be sung in a specific way because the sonics of how a song are sung are part of how storytelling works in musical theatre.   

Of course there is never one singular and "correct" way to do do anything but I think its dismissive to simply write off criticisms with the arguement that people are just "closed minded" to new interpretations.

[east side story]

Posted: 12/10/24 at 1:45pm

Updated On: 12/10/24 at 01:45 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 12:31am

Saw this again tonight for the first time since the first preview. For everyone wondering what's changed, the answer is virtually nothing. Things are running a bit tighter and the audience was thankfully pretty mellow so no continuous SCREAMING by people desperate to be noticed. The one thing that has changed is Audra's performance which she has obviously been working on and is developing her Rose, to which she's found some really great new moments - her "Rose's Turn" now is pretty thrilling, I felt and I hope she can find other moments to make as intense as she did that one. Unfortunately though, there's just so much else that needs to be worked on and seeing as in the past three weeks it hasn't been and they open next week - this is going to be what it's going to be. All the talk of Wolfe using the preview period to make all of these substantial changes didn't happen here and it's a shame. 

Oh and the fact that they're still using that GOD DAMNED passerelle just pisses me off. Everyone bobbing their heads to be able to see when they could have just performed at the foot of the actual stage for everyone to see clearly. 

Updated On: 12/11/24 at 12:31 AM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 12:37am

Jordan Catalano said: "Saw this again tonight for the first time since the first preview. For everyone wondering what's changed, the answer is virtually nothing. Things are running a bit tighter and the audience was thankfully pretty mellow so nocontinuous SCREAMING by people desperate to be noticed. The one thing that has changed is Audra's performance which she has obviously been working on and is developing her Rose, to which she's found some really great new moments - her "Rose's Turn" now is pretty thrilling, I felt and I hope she can find other moments to make as intense as she did that one. Unfortunately though, there's just so much else that needs to be worked on and seeing as in the past three weeks it hasn't been and they open next week - this is going to be what it's going to be. All the talk of Wolfe using the preview period to make all of these substantial changes didn't happen here and it's a shame.

"

Hmmm so people are still seating during the overture with house lights on?

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 12:41am

Yuuuuuuuup.

[BJR]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 1:07am

How horrific. It's truly the best overture in musical theatre history IMHO

[djoko84]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 2:00am

I saw this last week and it just wasn't good at all. Even Audra can't save it. 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 10:19am

joevitus said: "Dolly80 said: "Damn this was bad.
The ugliest set I’ve ever seen on Broadway.

A lead who cant sing the score.

Everything about this revival is misjudged. I really hope they don’t get away with it when reviews come out."

From her performance of Rose's Turn that we all listened to when the show was first announced, I'd agree she doesn't have the "right" voice for this role, but to say Audra McDonald"can't sing the score" is absurd beyond words."

It's really not at all actually. she's not above criticism just because she has some Tony awards.

She's a star, and a brilliant actress and singer- but this score is not a good fit for her voice. She can belt to a certain point and then it suddenly turns into a soprano voice. It's jarring and not how this should be sung. 

Also the overture playing while people walk in and chat is just terrible. It's like the director has no respect for the material.  

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 10:25am

Dolly80 said: "joevitus said: "Dolly80 said: "Damn this was bad.
The ugliest set I’ve ever seen on Broadway.

A lead who cant sing the score.

Everything about this revival is misjudged. I really hope they don’t get away with it when reviews come out."

From her performance of Rose's Turn that we all listened to when the show was first announced, I'd agree she doesn't have the "right" voice for this role, but to say Audra McDonald"can't sing the score" is absurd beyond words."

It's really not at all actually. she's not above criticism just because she has some Tony awards.

She's a star, and a brilliant actress and singer- but this score is not a good fit for her voice. She can belt to a certain point and then it suddenly turns into a soprano voice. It's jarring and not how this should be sung.

Also the overture playing while people walk in and chat is just terrible. It's like the director has no respect for the material."

With all due respect, Audra can hit every note in this show on pitch. So, she can sing it. I understand you not liking her take on it. 

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 11:56am

Jordan Catalano said: "Saw this again tonight for the first time since the first preview. For everyone wondering what's changed, the answer is virtually nothing. Things are running a bit tighter and the audience was thankfully pretty mellow so nocontinuous SCREAMING by people desperate to be noticed. The one thing that has changed is Audra's performance which she has obviously been working on and is developing her Rose, to which she's found some really great new moments - her "Rose's Turn" now is pretty thrilling, I felt and I hope she can find other moments to make as intense as she did that one. Unfortunately though, there's just so much else that needs to be worked on and seeing as in the past three weeks it hasn't been and they open next week - this is going to be what it's going to be. All the talk of Wolfe using the preview period to make all of these substantial changes didn't happen here and it's a shame.

Oh and the fact that they're still using that GOD DAMNEDpasserelle just pisses me off. Everyone bobbing their heads to be able to see when they could have just performed at the foot of the actual stage for everyone to see clearly."

And the set is still ugly and the coreography a let down.  AND THAT DAMNED PASSARELLE!

[nycward]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 1:00pm

Also once the overture begins to the final curtain, if the show runs even a minute or two over the 3 hour mark the production goes into golden overtime for all union contracts. Since I believe the show as played now runs 2:55 I think it's a practical consideration unless they cut something from the script or have the cast wave goodby to the audience at the end as the curtain comes down :)

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 1:09pm

Why didn’t the last three Gypsy’s have this problem ?  Scott Rudin would have had this figured out. 

[Papi2013]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 1:14pm

Can't they open the house 5 minutes early?

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 1:23pm

That's the thing. I arrived at the theater just before 7:50, later than I normally like to but it should have been plenty of time. The line was so long I didn't make it to the doors until 8:00. At 8:01 I was standing under the archway leading to the left orchestra when the overture started. It's one thing if people are late; it's another if the theater isn't getting them in fast enough.

[binau]

Posted: 12/11/24 at 1:37pm

If they can’t find a few minutes of extra time in a sluggish 3 hour production (which they should purely for the sake of the audience) I don’t know what to say. I also agree that it felt like we get in too late - I thought ok maybe the majestic renovation and teething problems etc. but no I think maybe it’s just incompetence.

That said, I’m low key hoping that the reviews are kind enough and the ‘punishment’ for the missteps in this production is reflected in a lack of tony nominations etc except some key acting parts really. It’s all very well for us to fight ‘within the family’ but a terrible reviewed Gypsy probably does more harm than good for the show and brand. 

It’s still Gypsy. It’s still professional. It still works.